COVIDWISE Exposure Notification App Launced to Help Contain COVID-19

August 5, 2020 – Governor Ralph Northam announced the launch of COVIDWISE Exposure Notification App to help contain COVID-19. COVIDWISE is an innovative exposure notification app that will alert users if they have been in close contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Virginia is the first state in the country to design a COVID-19 app using Bluetooth Low Energy technology developed by Apple and Google, which does not rely on personal information or location data. Users opt-in to download and utilize the free app.

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) developed COVIDWISE in partnership with Spring ML using funding from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. The free app is available to download through the App Store and the Google Play Store. COVIDWISE is the only app in Virginia allowed to use the exposure notifications system (ENS) application programming interface (API) jointly created by Apple and Google. Other countries, including Ireland and Germany, have successfully used this technology in similar apps.